The Need

The Need

Logie Baird, Alexander Fleming, James Watt and others shaped the modern world. Scotland can do this again. The image of Scotland as a land of innovation is shared and validated by international observers. We must now live up to that.

Alex Salmond, Former First Minister of Scotland, January 2012

Environment
The Heroes Centre deliberately sets out to create an environment of inspiration and creative freedom. We will nurture and encourage people to feel empowered, to realise that they have the capability and the tools readily available to them to change the world..that they can be John Logie Baird.

We’ll use the past and present to inspire the future.

The Facts:

Scotland requires 40,000 new IT professionals in next decade. Scotland’s future GDP is relying heavily on highly skilled technology based practitioners being in Country.

Scotland’s Technology Sector is estimated to be worth £4bn to the economy and its growth boosts the Economy by more than £30m annually

Continued adoption and use of ICT could generate an additional £5bn in productivity gains to the Scottish

The sector employs over 100,000 ICT professionals in Scotland and is a key driver of future economic growth

And yet:

Number of young people choosing to study IT/digital media related courses in Scotland has declined by 13% over the last 5 years and it is genuinely perceived that the teaching of IT in schools is in need of a radical overhaul.

This must change.

In addition to a unique learning space, the Heroes Center provides the community within Helensburgh with a social hub.

Currently there is no natural safe meeting place, out of School hours, for the area’s young people. We hope that over time the Centre – particularly Hucksters Cafe – will become to Go To drop in place.

But perhaps most importantly of all, the Heroes Centre provides a perfect platform for a community to embrace and celebrate inspirational locals.

Inspirational people add value to the whole community and they serve beyond individual interests to contribute to the greater public good and community prosperity.